I’m calling on all people of Gunnedah and district to help us celebrate our great country on National Flag Day (September 3).

On this day each year, all Australians are encouraged to fly or display the Australian National Flag to celebrate Australian National Flag Day. In 2001 the Australian flag turned 100. This event passed in history but is not mentioned in any newspaper. I hope that every newspaper will have a photo of the flag and acknowledge National Flag Day and it be celebrated every year.

Australian National Flag Day, proclaimed in 1996 as a national day, celebrates the first time the flag was flown on September 3, 1901. On that day Prime Minister Edmund Barton announced the winners of a competition to design a flag for Australia. A large flag, 5.5 metres by 11 metres, was flown over the dome of the Exhibition Building in Melbourne. At that time the flag was known as the Commonwealth blue ensign; later, the flag became known as the Australian National Flag.

It is my belief that Australia is the best country in the world and National Flag Day provides us with an opportunity to recognise the importance of our flag and its significance as Australia’s pre-eminent national symbol in times of adversity and war, peace and prosperity.

You can be involved on September 3 and here are some ideas to help you celebrate Australian National Flag Day: Conduct a flag-raising ceremony; Business and organisations which don’t have a flagpole may wish to display the Australian National Flag in the public areas of their buildings, such as foyers and read about the history of the Australian flag and the protocols for flying the flag.

I recall a poem by L.Hannigan ‘The Voice of the Australian Flag’ which eloquently describes the significance of our flag.

“I am the National Flag of the Commonwealth of Australia – I belong to you and every

Australian, equally and freely.

“I have been hoisted aloft over many buildings, from humble homes to the Houses of Parliament.

“I have listened to every Prime Minister declare his allegiance to me, to our Monarch

and to our Constitution. I have witnessed the pledge of each one to protect and defend those freedoms we all cherish, even above life itself… ”

You can read more about this important poem online.

September 3 also holds great significance for the Gunnedah community as the birthday of the late Mikie Mass OAM – an immigrant turned deputy mayor of the Gunnedah shire who was one of the biggest advocates for her adopted country and its heritage.

Judith Law, Gunnedah